Sarah CB Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 There's a new study out that suggests that "moderate" exercise of 30 minutes a day doesn't really do anything for weight loss and that in order to actually lose weight you have to exercise for about an hour a day. Ugh. I think I need to undergo hypnosis so that I can change my attitude towards exercise - right now it seems like something I just don't have time for and have no interest in doing. Article here: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1827342,00.html?cnn=yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Sarah, I would have to disagree with this conclusion. While exercise is definitely *good* I have found that it isn't necessary for weight loss. I have lost 30 lbs twice (regained with pregnancy) and one of the times didn't involve any exercise, the second involved some but I credit the weight loss more to cutting back calories than to exercising. I've started the process yet *again* (new baby 4 mos ago) and lost the first seven pounds so far without added exercise. What I do is wait until I'm physically hungry before I have a meal, and then stop when I'm physically satisfied. I see this as using the God-given signals of hunger and fullness to eat just what my body needs. It has worked very well over the years. Like I said, exercise is *good* and I enjoy a good walk regularly -- but in this way of doing it exercise doesn't cause the weight loss, it allows you to eat a little more than you otherwise would. I learned of these principles in the book Thin Within by Judy Halliday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoSylvia Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Sarah, I would have to disagree with this conclusion. While exercise is definitely *good* I have found that it isn't necessary for weight loss. :iagree: I really believe that exercise has nothing to do with weight loss. My husband and I took a trip to Europe and, while eating all the fabulous food, we both lost weight. (dh has a very physically demanding job at a golf course so the site-seeing was not nearly the same level of physical exercise he gets usually) Upon returning I had to research this and stumbled upon The French Diet by Michel Montignac, which was reputed to be what many Europeans were doing. (While M. Montignac definitely advocates exercise for good health, I believe he disliked the link to weight loss.) I adopted his eating style, did not add exercise, lost weight and have been able to keep my weight stable for about 3 years now. IMHO I think exercise is for muscles. For health reasons we should exercise to keep our heart muscle strong, (plus receive the cholesterol and blood pressure benefits) and for feeling good. I think exercise for weight loss seems to be just stress-inducing. My guess is that if more people just exercised without all the 'goals' they would enjoy it more and therefore do it more.:rant: OK I'm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 My guess is that if more people just exercised without all the 'goals' they would enjoy it more and therefore do it more.:rant: OK I'm done. Excellent point. I've started exercising and I was thinking this morning as I was running, "I need to remember I'm not doing this to 'get somewhere', but rather just to feel good every day." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Lynx Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 There's a new study out that suggests that "moderate" exercise of 30 minutes a day doesn't really do anything for weight loss and that in order to actually lose weight you have to exercise for about an hour a day. Ugh. I think I need to undergo hypnosis so that I can change my attitude towards exercise - right now it seems like something I just don't have time for and have no interest in doing. Article here: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1827342,00.html?cnn=yes I disagree with the others that exercise has nothing to do with weight loss. Exercise burns calories, and weight loss is all about burning more calories than you consume. However, it's easier to burn more calories than you consume if you consume lless ;-) I've lost more weight by combining diet and exercise, but I've never llost weight with exercise alone - diet has to be a component. An hour a day? Forget it, unless I found a way to make it a fun activity, and not "exercise." I can do a 30 minute home video, and then walk with DH for 30 minutes. When we were in Chicago we easily walked for an hour a day. But at a gym or an hour in front of a video? Not ever day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela in GA Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Ick. An hour? I do 30 minutes on the treadmill and that seems to take forever. Maybe someday I'll love exercise enough to do an hour. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 There's a new study out that suggests that "moderate" exercise of 30 minutes a day doesn't really do anything for weight loss and that in order to actually lose weight you have to exercise for about an hour a day. OK, I'm not reading the article, but for me personally, 1/2 hour seems to do the trick. I'm testing a theory right now - it has to be 30 minutes or more and I'll lose 1/2 pound. I'll try to keep the exercise thread updated to the progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I've been exercising in two or three 10-15 min chunks using the SparkPeople online videos AND I've changed my diet from eating everything my kids leave on their plates plus several handfuls of chocolate chips to a healthier one. I don't think either one alone would have resulted in my 10 lb & 3" off my waist loss this month so far! :D I can't do an hour at a time, but I can do 10 minutes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 diet and exercise. Nothing else works except for taking in less calories, and upping the activity level to burn more calories. Especially as you get older, and into the crazy-hormones 40's. I think it's probably true that half hour of exercise does little in terms of calorie burn, but it does definitely improve cardiac function and aerobic ability. Combine it with calorie reduction, and it'll work off the weight. An hour of exercise would obviously burn twice as many calories, so should lead to more weight loss, but not if you are pounding down cheesecake after the hour is up! Personally, I hate exercising (and yet I'm married to a personal trainer/exercise addict) and getting in a half hour on a daily basis is the absolute most I'm going to even attempt. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 The way it was explained to me is that your body doesn't start burning fat until after 20 minutes of moderate exercise. So with a 30 minute moderate cardio workout you only get 10 minutes of fat burning. Therefore, for weight loss, you either have to work out longer, or get your body to burn fat faster. One way to get get your body burning fat faster is through interval training. Intervals are great because they work with any cardio program, are easy to do and supercharge your metabolism. Another way to burn fat throughout your entire cardio workout is to lift weights first since the right type of weight lifting will put your metabolism into fat burning fairly quickly. Weight loss is 70-80% diet so you can lose weight without working out, but since exercise is vitally important to your health stick with your cardio. You can still get a get great cardio workout in 30 minutes by adding intervals to your cardio. It is so easy and will speed up your metabolism so you burn more calories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaNY Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Definitely NOT my experience. I followed the McDougall plan a few years ago. He recommends MODERATE exercise for short intervals. If you cannot carry on a conversation during exercise, you are overdoing it. I jumped on a trampoline twice a day for 15 minutes. I followed the McDougall diet, which is VERY lowfat and vegan. I actually dropped so much weight at one time, people started worrying about me. (98lbs from 120) I'm 44, eat a lowfat diet, no meats, just fish. I still exercise moderately - twice per day, on a recumbent exercise bike. I am a size 2-4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 This is true for me. I mean, I don't know the actual numbers, but I only lose weight when I lower my caloric intake AND exercise. I exercise for one hour. I read you have to be in your target heart zone for at least 30 minutes to burn fat. Warming up and cooling down are not strenuous enough to raise/keep your heart rate that high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumndivona Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Endorphins make you happy! Oh, if we could all believe so strongly in those words like a perky Reese Witherspoon in "Legally Blonde", we would never dread exercising, would we? *sigh* I'm not sure what the latest scientific what-not is, but I stick with my routine (which is 1 hour a day, sometimes more) of exercise. It helped me lose 40-pounds of 10 years worth of spread-a$$ from sitting at a desk, and get back to my highschool weight. Now I keep up with it because it DOES feel good to exercise, it does keep illness at bay, and it helps me keep up with my son. If not for strength training and cardio, I couldn't climb the walls at the playground and surprise him (rather than following him up the stairs and chasing him). The trick to enjoying your workout is to find something fun that you enjoy doing, or to find a partner to share in your misery. I do Yoga, Pilates, bellydancing, and hula (which is big time fun!) to keep in shape, stay healthy, and keep my heart fit. Today my son wanted me to have my blood pressure done at the free machine they have at our BX. So I did, just to humor him (he wanted to see the numbers light up). 101 over 61 must mean I am doing something right. :001_smile: I'd say, stick with the 30 minutes if you can't deal with the thought of doing more. Something is better than nothing. And if it is weight loss you are trying to achive, cut calories. I no longer drink soda (except when I go out to eat), and I stick to a cup or two of ice cream, instead of a huge bowl of it (my weakness). And get your fiber. It will fill you up longer, so you will eat less. Of course, don't deprive yourself either! A piece or two of chocolate each day is a GOOD thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 and I stick to a cup or two of ice cream, instead of a huge bowl of it (my weakness). Did you say a CUP!!!! Or TWO!!!! A serving is 1/2 cup! Breyers is my weakness. Half a cup is barely a bite or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumndivona Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Heh heh. I know what a serving is and I agree - 1/2 cup is NOT enough. While I generally go with serving sizes (I actually eat like a model, counting out 15 cashews or 24 mini wheats, or whatever the food is), ice cream is the exception. I go for a whole cup, gosh darn it! But consider this - I used to eat a salad/soup bowl full of ice cream. It was maybe 4 cups of ice cream. And I would SMOTHER it in the chocolate shell. When I began paying attention to what I was eating, I realized that I was stuffing myself with 1,000 calories just before bedtime! So now I still eat my ice cream, but I eat half of that amount, if not less, and NO more chocolate shell for me! Oh, and another note on the exercise - I actually do enjoy my hour. But that could be because I vary it with On Demand shows. My favorite is Bridget's Bunny Boot Camp. Or the swing or cardio dance ones, during which I tend to get totally lost, and just run all over the living room like a madwoman for 15 minutes (usually after I've done 30 or 45 minutes of something else). It's fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato3 all-boy boys Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 The great thing is, we're all individual, and it takes different amounts of dietary change/ exercise for different people. Me? I could lose weight by just changing how I ate, without exercise. I could change the composition of my body by exercising (toner muscles= the jeans fit better, my triceps don't jiggle so much :lol:). These days, now that I'm over 40, I can see that my body/ metabolism is changing a little bit, and it is harder for me to lose weight without exercise. Guess what that means? blech! My dh, for one, can exercise and run a marathon a couple times a year, and his cholesterol is still high. He can eat healthy, and his cholesterol is still high. *sigh* IMHO, it is all about finding the balance you need to feel good about yourself and be healthy. Now, to actually apply what I know to myself and start moving..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laylamcb Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Yeah, ice cream is something I can't even keep in the house anymore because I can't eat just a little. If ever we go out for ice cream, I always order a "kid's cup" size, which is usually 1/2 cup to 1 cup or so. That's as much ice cream as anyone should eat in one sitting. And although it's designated for kids (and at Cold Stone, their sign specifies 12 and under only), when I tell them it's to keep my weight in check, they ALWAYS let me have it. But I second the chocolate or two a day: I lost 40 lbs. and ate one little "fun size" (puh-leez!) dark chocolate bar and a Healthy Choice fudge popsicle every single day. Without those things, I couldn't have made it. I still don't buy ice cream, and I still eat the dark chocolate. Every day. :001_smile: I'm not great with cardio--so boring to me!!--but I do enjoy lifting weights. But interestingly, I lost the first 25 lbs. without any exercise--just diet change. The conclusion I've come to is that changing your diet is essential for weight loss, and exercising is essential for weight maintenance. This is just IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanie Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 There's a new study out that suggests that "moderate" exercise of 30 minutes a day doesn't really do anything for weight loss and that in order to actually lose weight you have to exercise for about an hour a day. Ugh. I think I need to undergo hypnosis so that I can change my attitude towards exercise - right now it seems like something I just don't have time for and have no interest in doing. Article here: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1827342,00.html?cnn=yes Sarah, I exercise about 40 minutes per day (2.5 miles) and I have been very successful at losing weight. I do think however that it's my caloric intake that brings it all together. I don't care for exercising much either, but I've made it a part of my life...ya know, like brushing your teeth! I went from a size 4 to a size 0 in 8 weeks, and it was solely from running 40 min/5 days/wk and watching calories. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TolleLegeAcademy Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I've been exercising in two or three 10-15 min chunks using the SparkPeople online videosI can't do an hour at a time, but I can do 10 minutes! :iagree: Great link! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Hood Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 There are 2 things about excersize that I live by, when I actually do exersize. 1. I feel better and that better feeling increases my self image and I no longer worry about how much I exersize, because it feels good so I keep going. That can get a little circular but I go for the good feeling and the other stuff follows and it is not always weight loss. 2. I make my goal, if I have to have one, not on weight loss, but on how my jeans button up. It's a matter of perspective. Fat can be lost and muscle gained, so weight loss is inaccurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 But consider this - I used to eat a salad/soup bowl full of ice cream. It was maybe 4 cups of ice cream. And I would SMOTHER it in the chocolate shell. When I began paying attention to what I was eating, I realized that I was stuffing myself with 1,000 calories just before bedtime!! My dad eats ice cream like this every single night. At least 4 cups. He doesn't have a weight problem though....so more power to him. If I ate that much ice cream every night, I'd weigh...much more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakitty Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Sarah, I would have to disagree with this conclusion. While exercise is definitely *good* I have found that it isn't necessary for weight loss. I have lost 30 lbs twice (regained with pregnancy) and one of the times didn't involve any exercise, the second involved some but I credit the weight loss more to cutting back calories than to exercising. I've started the process yet *again* (new baby 4 mos ago) and lost the first seven pounds so far without added exercise. What I do is wait until I'm physically hungry before I have a meal, and then stop when I'm physically satisfied. I see this as using the God-given signals of hunger and fullness to eat just what my body needs. It has worked very well over the years. Like I said, exercise is *good* and I enjoy a good walk regularly -- but in this way of doing it exercise doesn't cause the weight loss, it allows you to eat a little more than you otherwise would. I learned of these principles in the book Thin Within by Judy Halliday. Now now now.....wait just one moment....we must remember, when dispensing such advice....to keep in mind that everyone is different! For example....if I were to go by your advice...I would likely starve to death...as I don't "generally" feel hungry....due to a medication side effect. Also, on most days I probably consume LESS than 1800 calories...and I am 5' 7" and weigh 224lbs. (down 25lbs since January, WOOT)....if I don't excercise, I don't lose weight....PERIOD. I'm not picking on you....yours is just the first post I read....LOL....and I am just saying.... people will often assume that what works for them will work for most, if not all....and that really is soooooo NOT the case. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 The article doesn't have much to say about intensity of exercise. I am swimming at the moment, and am building up from my normal moderate pace to having many more sprints. As well as building muscles (which increase your metabolic rate) this also uses more calories in a given time. Best wishes Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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